Gemstall
Gemstall is the trading capital of Pelowia, located in the heart of the mountains. Most mines and cave systems in the central mountain cluster all eventually lead to this city. The city is covered in merchant stalls and carved buildings that most serve a trading purpose (banks, markets etc.). Gemstall is the most racially diverse city in all of Pelowia, thanks to it being founded by a group of miners and not built by a single race. History The city has been around for a long time and was first founded as a small outpost for miners. As the miners carved further into the core they discovered and abundance of rare gems and minerals and decided to set up shop in the mines to be able to spend as much time as possible harvesting the goods. Soon this carved core was home to dozens of miners, and merchants noticed the business opportunity to export their goods, such as food and drink, to Gemstall. This was very convenient as there were railroads all throughout the mines already, making transportation of people and commodities very easy. The gem quota as time went on more people decided to pick up mining as a profession due to apparent lucrativeness. The number of miners in the area had now reached the hundreds. The economy was about to crash and the mountains seemed like they were being hallowed out so The Supreme Council took matters to their own hands and limited the amount that could be mined annually. This caused quite the outrage among the miners. The Miners' Brotherhood In this time of desperation the miners of Pelowia formed a brotherhood to provide unity within the profession. Despite the quota, the miners were still reeking in great profits, though it was nothing compared to what they used to make. A great number of miners retired and didn't need to work another day in their lives, others invested their money and became merchants. But the ones that were still chipping away rocks worked as much as they were allowed to until threat of a mountain collapse was too great and The Supreme Council stepped in once again and prohibited mining around Gemstall altogether. The Gemstall war This was the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the miners' tempers. The Miners' Brotherhood declared a war against The Supreme Council, something that had never happened before. The miners attacked several councilmen but only a few responded with physical resistance. Although only a few people lost their lives, the majority of the council was injured. The Supreme Council proposed a truce while they worked on a solution that would benefit both parties. Finally the council offered the miners a plan were they would mine in the cave systems leading to the core and work on benefiting the forms of transportation around the mines in exchange for pay on top of all valuables they found themselves while mining. The miners were now making close to same amount they were making after the quota and the ones who still stuck with the profession remained satisfied. Gemstall today although nothing is being mined from the walls of Gemstall at this moment, it still remains a trading capital. property plots are expansive so most merchants run their businesses on small stalls, which are scattered all around the city. Only the richest own housing units inside the mountains so most residents just stay in hotels. Due to a hole in the wall, a small body of water has formed in the city, providing the population with a clean water source. Railroads lie all across the city and the neighboring cave systems making transportation very efficient, especially after Grimdale's invention of the steam engine. Government Gemstall is a neutral city and does not have a city government but is instead governed directly by The Supreme Council. Property tax and rent goes directly to the council and is used to maintain the city and the surrounding cave systems. The city runs very independently and The Supreme Council only steps in when serious issues occur. Economy The economy of Gemstall is it's heart and soul. Gemstall is a capitalist city and every bit of business in the city is a ran privately except for the bank. Most of the city's income comes from selling gems and jewelry which the city has an abundance of, despite the mining ban.